Parliamentary questions

Parental Leave

Róisín Shortall

600. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the way in which parents of children with autism and other special needs are considered to meet the criteria for disability under the provisions of unpaid parental leave legislation and therefore qualify for a higher child qualifying age under the legislation; and the mechanisms in place to ensure that his Department is informed of difficulties for parents of special needs children meeting the criteria for the higher age bracket. [35463/19]

Commencement of Legislation

Róisín Shortall

640. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality when all sections of the Family Relationships Act 2015 with the exception of Parts 2 and 3 of the Act will be commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36068/19]

Juvenile Offenders

Róisín Shortall

702. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of juvenile referrals to the national office by Garda division in each of the past three years and to date in 2019, in tabular form. [36690/19]

Garda Recruitment

Róisín Shortall

703. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the estimated cost of each 100 additional gardaí and each additional 100 new Garda civilian staff to be recruited, respectively, in 2020. [36703/19]

Direct Provision Data

Róisín Shortall

704. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the anticipated cost in 2019 of the direct provision system. [36704/19]

Startup Funding

Róisín Shortall

746. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the funding provided for start-up support. [36660/19]

Research and Development Funding

Róisín Shortall

747. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the funding provided for research and development. [36661/19]

Company Registration

Róisín Shortall

748. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the amount collected in search fees by the Companies Registration Office in 2018; and the cost of eradicating search fees on its datasets. [36662/19]

Assisted Human Reproduction Legislation

Róisín Shortall

776. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health when Parts 2 and 3 of the Family Relationships Act 2015 will be commenced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36068/19]

Prescriptions Charges

Róisín Shortall

777. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 205 of 4 May 2017, the consideration being given to the issue raised (details supplied); his views on whether urgent action is required to address the issue; the timeframe for recommendations to be made in relation to the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34686/19]

Medical Card Applications

Róisín Shortall

843. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will address issues (details supplied) regarding the medical card application process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34961/19]

Primary Care Strategy Roll-out

Róisín Shortall

1326. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the roll-out of the recommendations of the primary care eye services review group report; the amount of funding set aside for the recommendations; the amount drawn down to date; the recommendations accepted in full; and the recommendations that have not yet been implemented. [36665/19]

HSE Waiting Lists

Róisín Shortall

1327. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will report on the operation of the common waiting list as required under the consultants’ contract; the manner in which this is implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36687/19]

General Practitioner Contracts

Róisín Shortall

1328. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in implementing the Programme for a Partnership Government commitment to provide for salaried general practitioners in view of the severe shortage of same; when he plans to make this available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36689/19]

Health Reports

Róisín Shortall

1329. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason for the six-month delay in publishing the de Buitléir report on the separation of public and private work in public hospitals; when his response to the report will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36691/19]

Health Services Staff Training

Róisín Shortall

1330. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the report from the Medical Council of 3 July 2019 on its annual national trainee experience survey (details supplied); if urgent attention will be given to addressing these findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36692/19]

Hospital Waiting Lists Data

Róisín Shortall

1331. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the child scoliosis waiting lists by hospital and length of time waiting in three-monthly intervals; the steps he is taking to deliver on his undertaking to clear the waiting lists; the timescale to which he is working; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36699/19]

HSE Funding

Róisín Shortall

1332. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his plans to deliver on promised multi-annual funding for the HSE in order that it can plan for the delivery of services; the reason this has not been done to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36700/19]

Home Care Packages Data

Róisín Shortall

1333. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the details of the HSE forecast of the level of demand for home care services in 2019; the actual level of services funded in the service plan; the way in which he plans to fund the significant level of unmet demand which exists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36701/19]

National Maternity Hospital Status

Róisín Shortall

1334. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the reason for the delay in reaching agreement with the owners of St. Vincent's Healthcare Group for the location of the proposed new national maternity hospital at Elm Park; the details of progress made since he announced in December 2018 that agreement had been reached; and the timescale to which he is working in relation to same. [36702/19]

Transport Support Scheme

Róisín Shortall

1335. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of the transport support scheme. [36711/19]

Health Services Funding

Róisín Shortall

1353. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health his views on the pre-budget submission of an organisation (details supplied), in particular its demand for €18 million in investment for community supports and home care for persons with dementia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36876/19]

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Provision

Róisín Shortall

1354. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the actions being taken to address the shortage of child and adolescent acute mental health beds in view of recent figures (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36879/19]

Fishery Harbour Centres

Róisín Shortall

1422. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to assist with the installation of seabins; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36069/19]

Waste Management

Róisín Shortall

1472. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated first- and final-year cost of the introduction of a 15 cent levy on single-use coffee cups. [36894/19]

Waste Disposal

Róisín Shortall

1522. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the role he has in approving WEEE operations; the basis on which an organisation do not operate in certain areas (details supplied) for WEEE or portable battery recycling; and the way in which the recycling of such items is organised in these areas. [36096/19]

Better Energy Homes Scheme

Róisín Shortall

1546. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason low-income pensioners are precluded from availing of SEAI grants for wall insulation if they received support for attic insulation; the reason for same in view of the fact that wall insulation was not covered by the grant originally; his views on whether this is fair or reasonable for low income pensioners who struggle to afford to heat their homes; the reason a review of the scheme has not been published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36695/19]

Waste Management

Róisín Shortall

1547. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funding provided in 2019 for the anti-dumping initiative. [36706/19]

Electric Vehicles

Róisín Shortall

1548. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funding provided to support an expanded number of electric cars and the associated infrastructure. [36707/19]

National Oil Reserves Agency

Róisín Shortall

1549. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the projected receipts from the National Oil Reserves Agency levy for 2019 and each of the next five years; the projected proportion that will be available in excess of the operating costs of the agency; and if all excess funds have been earmarked for the climate action fund. [36708/19]

Public Service Vehicles

Róisín Shortall

1640. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of plans to introduce a licensing system for rickshaw drivers in view of media and Garda reports on the involvement of some in the industry in drug dealing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36694/19]

Light Rail Projects

Róisín Shortall

1641. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to plans by TII to tender for an independent expert panel for MetroLink and the fact that local stakeholders (details supplied) are concerned regarding the independence of the process and have requested that his Department would be a more appropriate body to recruit the panel and ensure objectivity; and if consideration will be given to the request. [36697/19]

Public Service Obligation Services

Róisín Shortall

1642. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the level of subsidisation of public transport here by provider in each of the years 2014 to 2018 and to date in 2019. [36709/19]

Cycling Facilities Funding

Róisín Shortall

1643. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the funding provided for cycling; and the percentage this represents of overall transport funding. [36710/19]

Affordable Childcare Scheme

Róisín Shortall

1716. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding provided under the affordable childcare scheme. [36663/19]

Social Workers Recruitment

Róisín Shortall

1717. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated full-year cost of each ten additional social workers and ten additional social care workers recruited. [36664/19]

Childcare Services Staff

Róisín Shortall

1720. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of childcare workers that earn less than the living wage of €12.30 per hour; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36872/19]

Childcare Services Staff

Róisín Shortall

1721. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of childcare workers that receive unemployment benefit or allowance during the summer months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36873/19]

Childcare Services Staff

Róisín Shortall

1722. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of childcare workers in receipt of the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36874/19]

Childcare Services Staff

Róisín Shortall

1723. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the average rate of pay for a graduate childcare worker; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36875/19]

Rural Regeneration and Development Fund

Róisín Shortall

1733. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if consideration will be given to an application for RRDF funding from a group (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36688/19]

RAPID Programme

Róisín Shortall

1757. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of the RAPID funding provided to each of the Dublin local authorities in 2019; the projects being funded in each case; and the criteria which applied to qualifying for this funding. [36814/19]

School Meals Programme

Róisín Shortall

1768. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount of funding provided for school meals. [36747/19]

Gender Recognition

Róisín Shortall

1830. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding the review of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35547/19]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Róisín Shortall

1887. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost in 2020 for each one euro and each one per cent increase in each social welfare rate and principal adult social welfare rates, respectively. [36670/19]

Direct Provision Payments

Róisín Shortall

1888. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost in 2019 to date and in the previous four years of income and other supports to those accommodated under the direct provision system; and the number supported in 2019 and in the previous four years. [36671/19]

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Data

Róisín Shortall

1889. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the funding set aside in 2019 for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance. [36672/19]

Parental Leave Expenditure

Róisín Shortall

1890. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full-year cost in 2020 of paid parental leave for each additional week added to the scheme. [36673/19]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Róisín Shortall

1891. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated additional cost for each one euro and each one per cent increase in the qualified child payment in respect of children from 12 years of age and older. [36674/19]

Social Welfare Benefits Data

Róisín Shortall

1892. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost for each week the fuel allowance season is extended. [36675/19]